DNA : The Secret of Life

Media:	Hardcover
Author:	James D. Watson, Andrew Berry
Publisher:	Knopf
Release date:	01 April, 2003
List price:	~~$39.95~~
Our price:	that is 100% off!

DNA : The Secret of Life

Average rating: Stars

Fantastic, short, simple

Great read for people who are below the graduate level of education in biology. If you are grad school or above, it would be a lot of review and probably boring. But if you are below, it is a superb overview of the past, present, and future of DNA. Many key players are discussed, and Watson's unique personality is infused throughout. Who better to explain DNA than its co-discoverer, with the book published on the 50th anniversary of the discovery.

If you or anyone has any inkling of interest in biology, I strongly recommend this read.

DNA : The Secret of Life - James D. Watson, Andrew Berry

could be better

When Iam interested in a subject iam intensely interested and want to know every bit of information ABOUT THE SUBJECT. In the case of this book there is more history than information about genetics. I know there are many people who like the historical parts of scientific subjects so if your one of them i would reccomend this book. A more accurate title for this book would be "the progression of genetic research". If you want to know more about gentics and dna than the personal history of the author and his colleagues this book will not fulfill your expectations.

James D. Watson, Andrew Berry - DNA : The Secret of Life

Put it togeter by a raconteur

Overall a well-written book, but I wished Watson had shared with his audience his research findings on ethical questions of biotechnology, which his committee had posed in the Human Genome Project. It would be very interesting, to say the least , to view the conditions and sets of parameters under which the ethics are explored and questioned. To fully appreciating the merits and benefits of genetic research, I suspect that the ethical information would be helpful, to his audience, in weighing the pros and cons in the great genetic debate. Sometimes I sensed mixed messages on Watson's attitude, or his ethical ground on the use of genetic research. For instance, although I applauded Watson's stance against nefarious commercialization of human genes, or any life form for that matter, I became confused with his espousing the BT gene in reducing pesticide use, since he didn't seem too concerned with the adventitious spreading of genetically engineered plants into "wild" types. Indeed, the enterprise to "play with genes" can only bring up more questions for each one of us to face sooner or later in our life time, and by not sharing with his audience the findings of his research on ethics, Watson unfortunately performed a unsavory disservice to his audience.

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